Detachable funnel



y 1940- M. o. SHELL 2,200,642

- DETACHABLE FUNNEL Filed March 27, 1959 I Bnventor 7 M .O.Shell :iatented May '14, 1940 PATENT orrice EDETAQHABLE FUNNEL Melvin E. She'll, litiverton, llowa, assignor of one half to Leslie Dawson, litiverton, loan application lvilaeoh at, rose, Serial No. 264,393

1 @iaiin.

This invention relates to the art of transferring liquid from acontainer to a receptacle such as a filling of the fuel tanks of tractors, automobiles and the like with fuel and more particularly to funnels. I

It is an object of the invention to provide a means for guiding liquid fuel from one container to another, said means including a device for indicating the depth of liquid received particularly in fuel tanks of tractors.

It is a particular object of the invention to provide means whereby a funnel may be readily attached to and removed from fuel cans while tractors are operating in fields for servicing said tractors with fuel.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be understood from the following detailed description thereof.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the new device as applied to a gasoline can or the like, the latter being depicted by means of dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the new funnel.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of a fragment thereof and illustrating a fuel depth indicating device applied thereto, the latter being partially broken away.

As practiced in the tractor operating art it is customary to fill the fuel tank thereof with fuel at times before the tractor is taken for work in a field or the like and is far removed from a source of fuel supply and to transport into said field sufiicient fuel in auxiliary cans to supply the tractor with enough fuel for plowing the field or for other similar work without driving the tractor back to the farm dwelling specifically for refueling purposes and during a transference of liquid fuel from said cans to the tank of a tractor it has been found that the conventional funnels of the prior art are inefiicient and waste fuel during pouring operations and particularly during forceful winds, and the present invention contemplates obviating the undesirable prior practices by providing a funnel which extends over the outlet orifice of fuel cans for shielding the same during pouring operations and to provide means whereby said funnel may be readily attached to and removed from a number of fuel containers.

Referring now to the drawing for a more particular description It) indicates a fuel can which' is usually of cylindrical form and provided with a bail ll, an air intake vent l2 and a cover can I3 for the outlet" orifice l4 thereof. The present invention is also adapted for use in connection with fuel cans which are substantially rectangular in plan such as are employed when fuel is purchased in five gallon sealed tin containers in several parts of this country.

The new device includes a funnel 85 which is of approximately truncated-conical contour in side elevation, as shown in Figure l, and preferably having a portion of its wall cut away whereby said wall portion is arcuate in plan as indicated at I6 and depicted by dotted lines in Figure 2, whereby said arcuate portion is of complemental shape and adapted to snugly engage against the side Wall of the container 10 at times when the latter is of cylindrical contour in plan. The funnel of the present invention may also be provided of a shape at said cut-away portion of the side wall which is complemental to a fuel container which is approximately rectangular in plan and in all modifications the funnel is provided with a wire or strap portion l1 and an oppositely disposed wire or strap portion l8, said straps being secured at opposite sides of the funnel and extending outwardly therefrom, having hooks l9 at their free ends for purposes later described.

The straps l1 and. I8 are adapted to approximately encircle the container ill and when formed of wire for use on cylindrical containers the wires I1 and I8 may be of complemental arcuate shape withrespect to the shape in plan of the cylindrical container and as shown in Figure 2.

The funnel further includes a spout portion 20 which is comparatively small in diameter with respect to the main body portion thereof.

A resilient member 2| is employed such as a rubber band or the like and as specifically shown in Figure 2, being of coiled contractible spring type having a hook 22 at each end thereof, said hooks 22 being adapted to engage with the hooks I! of the straps for removably securing'the funnel to the container iii in an operative position, as depicted in Figure 1, said spring providing also for inequalities in the diameter of several cans III.

The funnel I5 is also so shaped that it provides a shield portion 23 which extends over the outlet orifice H of the container l when secured to the latter in an operative position, as shown in Figure 1.

In operation a container having a funnel 15 attached thereto is tipped and the spout 20 inserted into the intake port of the fuel tank of a tractor or similar receptacleduring pouring operations and a transference of the contents of the container into said receptacle during'which it will be noted that the shield 23 guards the fuel during a pouring thereof against interference from the wind and that the liquid from the container is efllciently guided from the latter through the funnel and spout and delivered to said fuel tank.

Indicating means are provided and carried by said funnel whereby the operator may know the depth of liquid delivered into said fuel tank for warning him to cease said pouring and for preventing an overflow of said fuel tank, wasting fuel and lessening fire hazards.

The said indicator includes a float 24 formed of suitable wood or the like which is affixed to a reciprocatable wire rod 25, the latter extending through bearing eyes 26 and 21, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 1. That end of the rod 25 which is opposite with respect to the float 24 is preferably provided with a ball indicator 28 or an oil-set bent portion whereby at times when the liquid within the receptacle rises therein above the outer or narrower end of the spout 20 a corresponding upward movement of the float 24 is thereby provided for moving the rod 25 upwardly and causing a corresponding movement of the end 28 of said rod, the latter normally being positioned closely adjacent to the rim of the funnel and so maintained in an upward, movable position by means of a detent 29 carried by the rod 25 abutting against the guide eye 26. The operator may note a movement of the upper end 28 of the rod 25 above said rim and thereby be warned to cease said pouring operation.

The rod 25 and float 24 are disposed within a sleeve, tube or a like separate compartment or well 30, as best shown in Figure 3. The well 30 preferably extends substantially the entire length of the spout 20 and shield portion 23 and if desired said well may be provided by soldering the sheet metal strip 3! across the arcuate transverse curvature of said spout and shield portions of the funnel as shown in Figure 2. As thus described it will be noted that liquid poured outwardly of the'spout 20 will not contact with the float 24 during said pouring nor force the float 24 downwardly against the upward urge applied to said float by the liquid within said tractor fuel tank at the time said tank becomes full.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a funnel device constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish it to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice except as claimed.

What is claimed is:

A device for use in transferring fuel from a number of like cans of liquid fuel each having an outlet port in one end thereof and into the fuel tanks of tractors comprising a funnel having a wall portion of arcuate contour in plan adapted to conform to and abut snugly against the walls of said cans adjacent said outlet ports,

-means for removably attaching said funnel to said cans during said transfer, said means comprising a wire secured to and extending from each side of said arcuate wall portion, said wires in conjunction with said arcuate portion being adapted to approximately encircle any of said cans of said fuel, said wires each being provided with a hook at the free ends thereof, a coiled spring provided with hooks at its ends adapted to engage the hooks of said wires, said funnel being provided with a restricted spout adapted to be inserted into said tank, whereby at times when said funnel is attached to any one of said cans adjacent the outlet port thereof and said can is tilted said fuel is adapted to be guided into said tank through said spout, and cooperative means for ascertaining the amount of fuel within said tank without removing said spout from said tank, said cooperative means comprising spaced apart, aligned guide-eyes secured to said spout and funnel, a rod disposed for sliding movements through said eyes and in approximate parallelism with said spout, said rod being provided with a float at one end thereof adjacent said spout, said float being adapted toextend into said tank at times when said can is in said tilted position, said rod being adapted to adjust itself with respect to said spout as .governed by the depth of fuel within said tank for indicating said depth.

MELVIN o. SHELL. 

